As a testament to the power of the music and lyrical content contained in Tiny Mirrors, The New Up’s sophomore release has again hit the NACC Top 200 chart. Several songs from the album have been back in heavy rotation on radio stations everywhere from New York to Alaska, Washington to Arkansas, and everywhere in between. The band is so proud that the songs have shown such longevity and that people around the U.S. seem to have picked up on the connections the music can make to thread together the seemingly disparate and sometimes opposing aspects of our lives.

In addition to hitting the top 200 charts nationally, songs from ‘Tiny Mirrors’ have reached #1 on the charts of individual radio stations around the country. That means these songs aren’t just capturing the imagination of listeners in these areas, it’s captivating them. Looks like there is a chance that, at least for some of us, tracks from ‘Tiny Mirrors’ may become the soundtrack of summer. And what a fitting time for that – the subject matter contained within these songs could not possibly be more germane to the political and social climate that we all find ourselves in.

If you want a soundtrack for your summer that will make you want to put the top down, crank up the tunes, and get that “school’s out for summer” feeling, give ‘Tiny Mirrors’ a listen and you’ll likely find more than a few candidates.

And for all of you out there in Colorado, we’ll see you later this month!

Stay tuned for some new music coming soon, as The New Up continues to work away in the studio…

Their is no substitute for that school’s out for summer feel, and let me tell you, we’re all ready to be done with school. Or work. Or endless meetings. Or dealing with people’s daily crap in a job that deals with the general public. Or whatever your daily drag may be. The music The New Up makes is intended to be like an electrical stimulus that, whenever you start to sink into that feeling that your future doesn’t belong to you, reminds you to not accept what people tell you you’re supposed to be or that humans aren’t capable of working together as one for the greater good of all. Cynicism is a wildfire that’s burning through our towns without mercy, and if we’re not careful we may all fall prey to its destruction. That’s where The New Up comes in.

The band is excited to announce to you that they will be performing two very special shows – with the intention of relieving and reminding you that love is not an option, but a requirement – in Colorado in May. And btw, that’s not always soft love – sometimes it’s hard love, too. And that’s the complexity and balance that you’ll get watching The New Up perform live. Come join the whole crew for a raucous good time in one of the most beautiful places on the planet, the altered state of Colorado.

We look forward to seeing many of you there. And for those of you that can’t make it but still long for that bubbling up sensation that turns frustration, fear, and disgust into determination, patience, and hope; dial up a song like Future Is Now, Black Swan, or No Fly Zone from the latest album, Tiny Mirrors, on your local streaming music service.

At a recent show at Smiley’s Schooner Saloon in Bolinas, California, The New Up took to the stage to rock a more intimate venue than they typically grace. At first glance, this represents some potential dangers that don’t exist in the larger venues they usually play. Believe it or not, when fans are up close and personal like this, a lot of unintended consequences can occur. But there’s one unintended (or intended!) consequence that was ever-present in the air Saturday night at Smiley’s that was a different kind of dangerous: people just absolutely got down and dirty on the dance floor. A packed room of some of the band’s most diehard fans was bound to inevitably lead to this outcome, and it was nothing short of a raucous, rocking good time. There’s something about that beachside roadhouse that draws the listener – and the performer – into a state of euphoria. Fun and freedom permeated every pore of every show-goer in a way that harkens back to the pre-9/11 days. For a small moment in time, those in attendance forgot about all of their worldly worries and shook all of their cares off and onto the dance floor, where their dancing feet ground them into little specks of dust to be returned to the earth and eventually reborn into something more constructive and creative.

The New Up extends its most sincere gratitude to everyone who came out and made it such an amazing night. The band will not soon forget the love that enveloped that space and time, and it’s all the more motivation to do it even better next time, to keep writing music that connects with you, the fan, the listener, the ponderer… and doing everything in our power to foster the positive change that results from the feelings inside of you that are screaming to come out and smack oppression and negativity in the face.

The band is also happy to announce that more tour dates are in the works, this time taking them into the interior West. As many of you know and have insistently commented, they haven’t been to the interior West in a bit, so one can only hope that the pressure and demand that has built up for them in this area of the US will result in an explosion of beautiful music and feelings of love and inspiration. Dates are in the works for May, so stay tuned for more information as new dates will be announced here first.

The New Up has been in the studio working their little fingers to the bone on a new record (as they used to call them), but that doesn’t mean they aren’t getting out of the studio here and there to do a show and spread the word about ‘Tiny Mirrors‘. This weekend finds them performing in 2 intimate shows that promise to be a lot of fun: A super secret backwards upside show on Friday night, presented by an organization called “Sofar Sounds“, and a Saturday night play at the sweetest little spot you’ve probably not been to yet: Smiley’s in Bolinas, CA.

Friday night’s show is so secret, they could tell you about but they’d have to kill you. 🙂 Seriously, though, “Sofar Sounds” is an organization that puts together intimate shows in people’s living rooms in cities all over the world, including San Francisco where Friday night’s show will take place. Basically, how it works is that you sign up for their fan list and then you put in a request to see a show on a certain night, not knowing which band you’ll see, or where you’ll see them until the night before the show. It’s a really cool idea and this will be The New Up’s second show with them, since the first one was so incredibly fun. You can find out more information about the organization and sign up to try to get tickets to the show by clicking here.

On Saturday night, if you’ve never been there, Smiley’sis an absolute gem in a coastal Northern California town that is so local they tear down the street signs to keep the tourists away. Officially labeled a “Schooner Saloon“, the venue’s compound lives up to the moniker, including a hotel that would have made people as diverse as Jacque Cousteau and Marilyn Monroe tickled fancy at the adorable rooms and sick seaside views. Literally single digit tickets are left, click here to get one so you can come enjoy in an unforgettable night.

The New Up family hopes you’re new year is starting off on the right foot, and we hope to celebrate with you this weekend at one or both of the band’s shows. Come get down with The New Up in a space where you can actually talk to the band after the set!

In another well-written and insightful article about The New Up (written by accomplished writer Aaron Carnes), this week’s issue of local Santa Cruz journal ‘Good Times‘ previews the band’s upcoming show at The Crepe Place in Santa Cruz on Saturday, and features a recent interview with E.S. Pitcher and Noah Reid (and unfortunately incorrectly notes them to be the only two members of the band) that discusses everything from the songwriting and album creation process to the subjects and soundscapes contained on ‘Tiny Mirrors‘. In the article Noah explains how he originally wrote the feature track on ‘Tiny Mirrors‘ – “Future Is Now” – (which the article refers to as having a “strong pop sensibility“) for a friend of a friend who was creating a new product and needed a jingle for the product launch. Although the product never launched, he ended up with a song that fit nicely on the new album, and ended up being one of the stronger tunes on the album.

E.S. discusses how the album came into fruition as the Trump era was coming into full swing, and how the metamorphosis of the two happened simultaneously without her or Noah being fully aware that that’s what was happening. One of the parts of the illuminating article that really captures the character of the album states “The arc of the record begins with different stories of people feeling lost and disconnected, and acting out in self-destructive ways. As it progresses, these extreme behaviors became normalized by society, and are reflected most heinously in the leaders.” Well said, Mr. Carnes. In a related part of the article, Noah notes that “The emotional tone of the music is not anything about a specific person, but the power structure that’s in place in our society, which is based on people wanting power, not on us progressing as a species.”

Photo by Phaedra Gouvis

To say The New Up has been busy lately would be an understatement. Between signing a new deal with Rough Trade, working in the studio, playing recent club shows – including a really special night at Slim’s in San Francisco – and providing the entertainment for a jumpin’ San Francisco block party, there has been little time for the band to catch their breath! The band first wishes to pass on a ginormous blown kiss of gratitude to all of those who came out to the recent Slim’s show in San Francisco. Not only did you help create the warmest and most exciting vibe imaginable, but you made the show a huge success and provided the band with a little extra juice to make it a special performance. You truly are appreciated and the band will continue to work to show their appreciation in all ways possible.

An absolutely jammin’ block party on Saturday night in a San Francisco neighborhood near the Mission provided The New Up with two distinctly new live performance situations: 1) the band played on an inclined plane (leave it to the San Francisco topography to give you no other choice!) and 2) Frontwoman ES Pitcher and guitarist/singer Noah Reid played in front of their almost two year old daughter for the first time ever, providing a special moment not only for the band, but also for attendees watching the show. Check out this video of their daughter’s first time dancing to the band performing live (shot by ES Pitcher’s sister):

And finally, as we look back on 2017 we have to take a deep breath and appreciate what an incredible year it’s been for The New Up. So many great things have happened and the band has made great strides in connecting with those in the world who will appreciate the music. The simple fact is that none of it would be possible without you, the people who support The New Up every day. You, who interact with the band at shows, online, and by reading this post. Everything revolves around connecting with you, and the relationship between the band and the people who love the music and its message is paramount. You. Are. Loved.

Thank You.

The New Up is excited to announce that they have signed a 3-album deal w/ Rough Trade Publishing, the publishing arm of the world famous Rough Trade Records, purveyors of such artists as Violent Femmes, The Smiths, The Strokes, Sufjan Stevens, Arcade Fire, The Decemberists, and Warpaint, Grimes, The National, Built to Spill, Grizzly Bear, and Rogue Wave. In addition to giving a boost to the band’s releases that will help them reach exponentially more ears, it also ensures that The New Up will keep the releases coming for many more years to come, and they’ll keep them coming relatively quickly!

The band would also like to take a moment to thank everyone who has been so supportive in 2017, this has been by leaps and bounds the best year yet for the band, and things continue to look up! As a thank you, they would like to provide you with a free download of the chart-busting, critically acclaimed, and appropriately ominous song Future Is Now, from their latest album release, ‘Tiny Mirrors‘. Just click here if you want to download the song for free, with no strings attached. If you want to grab the entire album, you can do so here.

Beginning with what is shaping up to be an incredibly exciting show on November 30th at Slim’s, The New Up has announced a string of California shows that promise to keep the band somewhat close to home, as they continue to work on the beginnings of their next album. Presented by the Bay Area’s premier alternative radio station Live105 and featuring DJ Aaron Axelsen on the turntables, the band’s first San Francisco show since they were featured at Noisepop back in February – and their first Bay Area show since being featured at the BFD Festival at Shoreline Amphitheatre in June – guarantees to be an exhilarating night of music from a group of San Francisco’s upper echelon of bands. Co-headlining the night with The New Up is Two Gallants drummer Tyson Vogel’s latest project, Devotionals, which has garnered attention for their heartfelt but familiarly troubled blues-laden numbers. In addition, the night will also feature high-quality bands like Fake Your Own Death and Smokin’ Ziggurats.

Setting off from there, the band will hit a new venue (for them), Winters Tavern in Pacifica, CA. In recent years the venue has acquired a reputation for featuring some of the best live music the Bay has to offer. Since being taken over by a new owner/booker, who simply goes by “CJ”, the venue has renewed their commitment to providing local Pacifica residents with a place to see quality live music. The next stop is The Crepe Place, where The New Up had a raucous show the last time they came through back in April. If you’re in the area, you most certainly won’t want to miss out on this opportunity to have the maximum amount of fun seeing a live show possible. And teasing what’s to come next year, the band is also announcing a show on February 3rd at Smiley’s in Bolinas, a small coastal town in northern Marin County that is known for removing street signs to keep the tourists away. This is an absolute one-of-a-kind show, where you can catch The New Up in a special venue in a special town, while getting just a little bit more up close and personal than usual. Find more information about their shows here, and if you’re not already signed up, sign up to The New Up’s email list on the homepage of thenewup.com to stay up on new tour dates as they’re announced, and all things TNU!

It’s safe to say that The New Up appreciates every single radio play that tracks from their latest release – ‘Tiny Mirrors‘ garners, and with all of the airplay the album has received there is an incredible amount to be grateful for! But when reports came in that The New Up‘s dark and brooding single “Black Swan” was being played on BBC Radio, that gave the band just a little bit of extra satisfaction. Getting their music in the ears of those many folks in the UK that will undoubtedly love what The New Up is doing is a major goal of the band, and receiving regular airplay on the BBC is certainly a big step in that direction.

If you want to hear any of the songs on The New Up‘s album ‘Tiny Mirrors‘ (especially singles like ‘Future Is Now‘, ‘Black Swan‘, ‘Almost Human’, ‘Falling From the Sky’, and ‘No Fly Zone’) on your local radio station, all you have to do is call your radio station and let them know that you want to hear it, and that you want to hear it often! Many people prefer not to listen to the radio and think it sucks because they just play the same songs over and over, but the reality is that they will play what their listeners want to hear. So if you and your fellow radio listeners call in and communicate to the station what it is that you wanna hear – including ‘Tiny Mirrors‘ – they will eventually listen and play what their listeners request. We the people still have the power! (At least when it comes to what we hear on the radio) Flex that power to the people muscle!

The provocative and sadistic video for ‘Black Swan‘, one of the singles on The New Up‘s latest album ‘Tiny Mirrors‘, was recently screened as an official selection at the HollyShorts Film Festival in Hollywood, CA. The video, which was directed and filmed by the award-winning dynamic duo of Hassan Said and Peggy Peralta, was screened at the (officially) famous historic cultural landmark TCL Chinese Theater on Hollywood Blvd. (on the historic walk of fame) on the “Big Screen” in 4K. The brilliantly artistic video was shot in one take, and features a seductress who is lured in by the hazy familiarity of someone she becomes intrigued with, only to find that she’s dealing with something much more complex than she could imagine: herself. You can watch the entire video above.

When Live105 asked The New Up to record some “spots” – short advertisements for the radio station itself – the band didn’t hesitate to say yes, and have a blast in the process. Check out this video from the making of one of the spots, recorded in a studio in downtown Chicago, which has been used multiple times on the air thus far. You can see how the vibe of this studio session is serious but light. With something so short, you have to have fun with it! Enjoy…

Although the push to get ‘Tiny Mirrors‘ out into the world is far from over, The New Up has begun turning some of its attention to writing and recording their next body of musical work. There have been no shortage of intense world and personal events surrounding the band, and the need to turn their emotional response into art has forced ES Pitcher and Noah Reid to put down what they’re feeling in the form of new music. With a clear vision of what is musically to come next, a new and unprecedented level of inspiration and cohesion is taking root in The New Up‘s studio. Fans can expect to hear something that builds on ‘Tiny Mirrors‘, but also highlights some of the band’s largely unexplored musical and lyrical influences and inspirations.

Expect to NOT have to wait for a complete album before you get new music in your ears from The New Up on this next release. Some of the stuff that’s going on in the studio as we speak is going to be made available in advance – particularly for fans – to enjoy prior to the full release. Signing up for our email list on our home page or liking our page on facebook will ensure that you have the chance to check it out the moment it’s out. In the meantime, there’s so much to unpack on ‘Tiny Mirrors‘, it’s worth taking another listen when you’re hanging around the house, driving in your car, working out, or just hanging with friends enjoying some drinks!

In this polarized world where there is rarely unanimous agreement on anything – even something as trivial as what color looks better on Kim Kardashian – it’s simply astounding that after dozens and dozens of reviews of The New Up‘s latest album, ‘Tiny Mirrors’, the consensus is that it’s an excellent album with so much to offer that it requires multiple listens just to wade into the shallow end of the emotional pool contained in it’s musings. The band certainly seems to have some of their faves, and a good portion of the reviews also include interviews that give intriguing insights into not only what the band was thinking as they wrote the music, but what was happening in their lives during the process and the events happening in the world around them that had the biggest influence. Of course, listening to the words in many of the songs on ‘Tiny Mirrors‘ can give you some pretty good clues as to what the music is about, and there is no shortage of reflections on many of the events that we’ve all been experiencing together. But ‘Tiny Mirrors‘ goes beyond just reflecting what’s going on in our world; it’s a rare pop culture glimpse into the inner workings of our own souls. It not only ponders where we are and how we got here, it also explores how we can get to where we wanna go from this deeply terrifying time we live in.

Perhaps it is this deeper musing that has given so many critics the impetus to laud the new album. Or perhaps it’s simply the fact that on a visceral level, “Tiny Mirrors” delivers something many of us long for these days: an admission of how difficult the position we currently find ourselves in while still remaining steadfastly committed to not allowing it to break our spirits. After all, ‘Tiny Mirrors‘ isn’t just a diagnosis of the ills of the world we live in today, it’s an emotional road map to finding the strength to deal with it on an every day level, and to turn the challenges into opportunities to make things better and reflect the world we wanna see. To all of those authentic souls who have taken the time to really listen to ‘Tiny Mirrors‘ and spill ink on its behalf: the band thanks you for adding another voice to the chorus that has made ‘Tiny Mirrors‘ “critically acclaimed”.

Most of The New Up‘s concerts are in dark venues where the only bright lights are the band’s lightshow. Don’t get us wrong, that’s pretty damn cool to look at, but seeing The New Up in the daytime at a fest, on a big stage like Shoreline Amphitheater for BFD is a treat for fans of the band, and those that didn’t know they would become fans of the band before their set on Saturday. They enjoyed an extremely warm reception from music fans from all across the Bay Area who had come to see their fave bands, and to stumble on new bands that were handpicked to catch their ears.

For many of those artists that are so big it’s impossible to see them close-up, the appeal is in seeing them in a smaller, more intimate venue. But for a band like The New Up, who predominantly plays mid-sized clubs there is an allure to seeing how they fit on a bigger stage, a tantalizing preview of what they may one day be. In the end, it’s a good reminder to get out and see The New Up in a mid-sized club while you can because, who knows… they could take off at any moment and you’ll be able to see you were there for one of their last small shows. Stay tuned to our shows page to keep up with tour dates.

From time to time you meet a kindred spirit, someone who you automatically connect with, and whose values you naturally seem to share, although you may have come from wildly different places. The New Up found that kindred spirit while touring through Atlanta, in locally renowned culinary delight Rise N Dine. Located near the campus of Emory University and ALWAYS packed, the folks at Rise N Dine took a shine to The New Up and the two socially minded, genuinely passionate fixtures of their respective communities became BFFs immediately. The mutual affection was more than political, though, as Rise N Dine exhibited a real affinity for The New Up’s music and message, and the food at Rise N Dine the morning after their show at Smith’s Olde Bar absolutely knocked The New Up’s socks off! This, folks, was a match made in heaven and was one of those chance encounters that ends in a friendship for life.

If you find yourself visiting Atlanta for whatever reason, or if you happen to live there and haven’t been lucky enough to eat there yet, you absolutely HAVE to go down to Rise N Dine and get some of those biscuits, eggs, freshly squeezed OJ, shortstacks, incredible deserts, and… OMG we have to stop now because our mouths are starting to water. Thanks Rise N Dine, for being one of those special places where community and amazing food truly come together in a perfect parfait.

It’s official, BFD is upon us and The New Up is excited to share the stage yet again with talent such as Phoenix and Franz Ferdinand. The New Up will be featured on the local band stage at 1:50p, which conveniently doesn’t conflict with any of the other bands that you won’t want to miss, like the aforementioned talented acts! If you haven’t picked up tickets yet, you can still do so here. This is one of the hottest tickets in the Bay Area so far this year, so needless to say you are NOT going to want to miss this stellar lineup.

The New Up looks forward to seeing your shining faces out there in the crowd, and don’t forget to the sunscreen…

Fresh off of several months of touring behind their latest release ‘Tiny Mirrors’ and tighter than a highwire, The New Up is now turning their attention to SF alternative radio station Live105’s upcoming BFD Fest, where they will be one of the featured hometown bands. Sharing the stage with the likes of Phoenix, Franz Ferdinand, Milky Chance, and Cold War Kids, the band has been back in the rehearsal studio making sure that they achieve nothing short of blowing away their audience.

The band continues to get airplay on Live105 in advance of the Fest, featuring Aaron Axelson’s personal fave “Future Is Now”. If past BFD Fests are any indication, this promises to be one of the best parties of the year, and it’s safe to say that you DON’T want to miss it. You can grab tickets here, and don’t forget the sunscreen!

Fans of The New Up have gotten a sizable dose of the band’s serious side – diving into some of the most intense subject matter facing our world today on the latest album ‘Tiny Mirrors’, but many fans may not be aware that the band has a notoriously infectious and raunchy sense of humor, which they exercise regularly when they’re traveling on the road together. So when famed morning show host Kevin Klein from Bay Area alternative radio station Live105 recently asked The New Up for a hilarious favor – to put a bad yelp review of the show to music – the band was happy to oblige. While their music could never be characterized as “funny”, they reached into their gag bag to set the ridiculously shallow yelp review to music. The review read:

“I normally don’t write reviews but I can’t believe my ears
Kevin Klein live is the most offensive thing that I’ve heard in years
The man host insults everyone, the lady sounds plain dumb
Why can’t they focus on things I like, like the Kardashians

I would give them zero stars if only I could
It’s bad, the worst, trust me on this”

If you happen to live in one of the cities where The New Up played on their recent East Coast tour and you were able to catch the show, you’re probably still humming tunes from their latest offering, ‘Tiny Mirrors’ and feeling like the world is a little more manageable than before. If you missed it, there are no words that can describe what happened each night of the tour, except to say that their was a completely genuine connection between the audience and the band that was not only palpable, but which transcended time and space. Fans came out in droves to find out what critics, radio DJs, bloggers, and music industry folks already know: The New Up has genuine substance and grit. News features and live show reviews that were written up for shows in each of the cities gave fans a clue as to what they could expect, but unless you were in the room feeling the sonic wave of The New Up’s music wash over you and infiltrate your every molecule, it’s impossible to glean the entire story. The moral of the story is a simple one: if you were unlucky enough to have missed the show this time around, next time they come to your town, “don’t let it happen”.

In another glowing review of ‘Tiny Mirrors’, New Noise Magazine analyzes the spirit of the musical and lyrical landscapes explored by The New Up on their freshly minted pseudo-concept album. Author Tom Haugen reflects on his reaction to giving it an attentive few spins with genuine curiosity and a wide open mind, eyes, and heart; explaining that the band “knows a thing or two about bright synth and reverb friendly guitars, as they collide the charged moments of rock and electronica”. He further elaborates on that concept, proclaiming that “their strong sense of melody and versatile approach to indie-rock leave an indelible mark”.

It’s amazing how many articles that have been written about ‘Tiny Mirrors’ have hit the head on the nail in so many interesting and unique ways, and New Noise Mag continues that trend with this excellent and intuitive review. Check out the full text of the article here, and if you haven’t listened to the album in full all the way through, you should definitely go on Pandora, Spotify, itunes, or whatever platform you usually use to listen to music and give it a spin!